The Mississippi Business Journal articles from October 2006

The Mississippi Business Journal archives from October 2006

Old Capitol Green begins process of bringing mixed-use, green space to downtown Jackson.(Architects & Engineers)(selects Full Spectrum as the master developer )
October 2, 2006... JACKSON -- Leaders of the Old Capitol Green project say things are coming together for the ambitious eight-block venture that promises to reinvigorate downtown with mixed-use and green space. "We're very excited. We've selected Full...

MMA annual convention focus: risky biz.(Mississippi Manufacturers Association)
October 2, 2006... Because global competition, soaring energy and healthcare costs, workforce training challenges and even natural disasters have a profound impact on manufacturers, the Mississippi Manufacturers Association's (MMA) plans to focus on "Risk...

NBCC founders find Mississippi building, not burning.
October 2, 2006... JACKSON -- Harry C. Alford has one major criticism of Mississippians--they need to speak up. He is convinced that if the truth about the Magnolia State got out, it would bring an influx of new business and industry. "Mississippi is...

Wilson has year he won't forget as White House Fellow.(Cory Todd Wilson )
October 2, 2006... JACKSON -- Attorney Cory Todd Wilson has returned from a year he will never forget. He had the privilege of seeing the United States government from the inside, was able to ask questions of world leaders and be a part of policy discussions, and...

Bureau of Labor Statistics releases numbers.
October 2, 2006... WASHINGTON -- The job openings, hires, and total separations rates were essentially unchanged in July, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This includes estimates of the number and rate of job openings, hires and separations for the...

Best places to work in Mississippi a valuable tool.(As I See It)
October 2, 2006... What makes some companies good places to work and others not so good? Pay? Benefits? Freedom? Recognition? Employer attitude? All these things play a role. How does management know what their employees think about them and the company? And,...

Don't forget selling home a biz decision.(From the Ground Up)
October 2, 2006... Is your house on the market? Are you getting offers? Is your agent working hard to sell your home? Did you select the right agent? in this market, these questions are being asked more frequently because there is rather strong evidence that...

East Central Community College.(People to Watch)
October 2, 2006... Kimberly A. Mott of Decatur has been named marketing specialist for the East Central Community College Workforce Development Center. In the new position, she is responsible for publicizing the various training programs and other services...

Area Development Partnership.(People to Watch)
October 2, 2006... The State Science and Technology Institute (SSTI) has named Angie Godwin, president of the Hattiesburg-based Area Development Partnership (ADP), to its board of trustees. For SSTI, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to technology-based...

BancorpSouth.(People to Watch)(Linda Boutwell appointed as vice president)(Michelle Crawford has been promoted to operations officer)(Priscilla King has been promoted to student loan officer )(Brief article)
October 2, 2006... Linda Boutwell, a native of Hattiesburg, has joined BancorpSouth as vice president. Her primary duties will be commercial lender at the 98 Place Branch. Boutwell received her bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of...

The Kullman Firm.(People to Watch)
October 2, 2006... Leslie P. Barry has become associated with The Kullman Finn, a professional law corporation, in its Columbus office, where she is engaged in the practice of labor and employment law on behalf of management. Barry received her J.D. degree from...

GranthamPoole.(People to Watch)(Cindy Pace, Melanie Morrow and Michael Hanson appointed as staff accountants)(Brief article)
October 2, 2006... Cindy Pace, Melanie Morrow, CFE, CCS, and Michael Hanson, CPA, have joined GranthamPoole as staff accountants in Jackson. Pace is a member of the firm's tax team. Her expertise includes bookkeeping, payroll accounting and policy-holder service...

Hendrix College.(People to Watch)(Theodore Bunting Jr. named to the Hendrix College board of trustees)(Brief article)
October 2, 2006... Theodore Bunting Jr. of Jackson has been named to the Hendrix College board of trustees. Bunting, vice president and chief financial officer of Nuclear Operations for Entergy Services Inc., and other Hendrix trustees are responsible for the...

Higgins wins economic development award.(People to Watch)(National Rural Economic Development Association)
October 2, 2006... Special to the Mississippi Business Journal Columbus-Lowndes County Development Link's chief executive officer Joe Max Higgins Jr. captured the National Rural Economic Development Association's top award at the organization's annual...

Unemployment tumbles; Rankin County sees lowest rate.(Strictly Business)
October 2, 2006... ACROSS MISSISSIPPI -- Mississippi's unemployment rate fell by more than a full percentage point to 7.2% in August, according to the Mississippi Department of Employment Security (MDES). The joblessness rate in July was 8.3%, and it stood at...

Eurocopter gets AStar order.(Strictly Business)
October 2, 2006... LOWNDES COUNTY -- Air Methods Corporation, the Denver-based air medical transportation provider, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with American Eurocopter to purchase 10 AS350 B2/B3 "AStar" helicopters annually, on an indefinite...

Rapiscan wins Defense contract.(Strictly Business)
October 2, 2006... OCEAN SPRINGS -- Less than a month after the official opening Rapiscan Systems' new factory in this Mississippi Gulf Coast city, the company has won a $9. l-million U.S. Department of Defense contract to manufacture 16 explosive detection...

JCBC relocating from U.S. 80 facility.(Strictly Business)
October 2, 2006... JACKSON -- Jackson Coca-Cola Bottling Company (JCBC) is relocating its existing warehouse and distribution operations on U.S. 80 to the Northwest Jackson Industrial Park west of Interstate 220. JCBC said the relocation is predicated on...

Lyle Machinery breaks ground.(Strictly Business)(Lyle Machinery Company at its new location in Hawkins Field Industrial Park West)(Brief article)
October 2, 2006... JACKSON -- The City of Jackson's Office of Economic Development and the Hinds County Economic Development District held a ground-breaking ceremony September 20 for Lyle Machinery Company at its new location in Hawkins Field Industrial Park...

Record sales tax receipts reported in Hattiesburg.(Strictly Business)
October 2, 2006... HATTIESBURG -- The City of Hattiesburg sales tax income for fiscal year 2006 was up nearly 35% over fiscal year 2005. For the year, the Hub City received a total of $24,174,192 in sales taxes, which the city said was by far the largest sales...

Nursing white paper released.(Strictly Business)
October 2, 2006... JACKSON -- On September 21, representatives of the Mississippi Hospital Association (MHA), Mississippi Nurses Association (MNA), Mississippi Office for Nursing Workforce and Mississippi Council of Deans and Directors of Schools of Nursing...

PEER reviews ports situation.(Strictly Business)(rebuild and expansion of ports )(Brief article)
October 2, 2006... JACKSON -- In response to a legislative request, the PEER Committee has reviewed the impact of Hurricane Katrina on Mississippi's commercial ports, and attempted to identify the strategy to rebuild them and direct possible future expansion. ...

Barbour unveils housing initiatives.(Strictly Business)
October 2, 2006... JACKSON -- On September 21, Gov. Haley Barbour unveiled two new phases of a comprehensive approach to meet critical housing needs for victims of Hurricane Katrina on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Barbour said, "I have submitted these plans to...

Student loan defaults decrease.(Strictly Business)
October 2, 2006... JACKSON -- The default rate for Mississippi's nonprofit student loan holders has continually decreased over the last five years, falling below the national rate, according to the Education Services Foundation (ESF). The recently announced...

Ferry committee chooses Hornblower.(Strictly Business)(Mississippi Department of Transportation)(Brief article)
October 2, 2006... MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST -- After evaluating proposals from two vehicular ferryboat operators, a committee formed by the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) has selected Hornblower Marine Services Inc. of New Albany, Ind., based on...

Tri-Lakes buys Delta facility.(Strictly Business)(Brief article)
October 2, 2006... GREENVILLE -- Tri-Lakes Medical Center of Batesville has purchased a 1,700-square-foot facility on U.S. 1 South in this Mississippi Delta city, according to Mal Kretschmar, GRI, CRB, RIM, of Kretschmar Realty Inc. Terms were not disclosed. ...

EDA grants awarded.(Strictly Business)
October 2, 2006... LAUDERDALE COUNTY AND LINCOLN COUNTY -- According to U.S. Rep. Chip Pickering (R-Miss), Loblolly, a wood processing plant in Lauderdale County, and the Linbrook Business Park in Lincoln County will receive federal funds. Loblolly will...

Push on for Delta nurses.(Strictly Business)
October 2, 2006... CLEVELAND -- The Dreyfus Health Foundation (DHF) has been selected as one of 10 foundations nationwide to participate in Partners Investing in Nursing's Future (PIN), a new national initiative to develop and test solutions to America's nursing...

Ribbon cut on 1-55 bypass.(Strictly Business)(Brief article)
October 2, 2006... SENATOBIA -- On September 14, the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) held a ribbon-cutting ceremony of a new interchange/bypass on Interstate 55 in this Northwest Mississippi city. This project involved four-lane construction...

ESF opens another office.(Strictly Business)(Education Services Foundation )(Brief article)
October 2, 2006... JACKSON -- On September 19, Education Services Foundation (ESF) held a grand opening of a college planning satellite office in the Medgar Evers Library. ESF has located this third college planning center in West Jackson to provide free...

Golf courses make ranking.(Strictly Business)
October 2, 2006... PHILADELPHIA AND SAUCIER -- Several state golf courses have been included in Golf Magazine's "Top 100 Courses You Can Play 2006-2007." Dancing Rabbit, the 36-hole course designed by Tom Fazio and Jerry Pate, came in at 32nd, climbing two...

Memorial opens facilities.(Strictly Business)
October 2, 2006... GULFPORT -- On September 18, Memorial Hospital at Gulfport began pro-riding medical care services at the Memorial MinorCare walk-in clinic located in Orange Grove, next to Kmart on U.S. 49 North. Formerly known as Memorial UrgiCare,...

Sunny Mortgage adds office.(Strictly Business)
October 2, 2006... GULFPORT -- Sunny Mortgage Group has opened its new office in this Mississippi Gulf Coast city. The office is located on U.S. 49 just south of Airport Road. "With the housing incentives and new construction along the Coast, we felt that a...

River Oaks accredited.(Strictly Business)
October 2, 2006... FLOWOOD -- River Oaks Hospital has earned the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization's (JCAHO's) Gold Seal of Approval. By demonstrating compliance with the JCAHO's national standards for healthcare quality and safety,...

Funds for trails available.(Strictly Business)
October 2, 2006... JACKSON -- The Mississippi Recreational Trails Program is accepting applications from those entities with an interest in public trails in Mississippi, according to the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP). Cities,...

Former WorldCom chief begins prison sentence at Louisiana facility: Bernie Ebbers reports to Oakdale Correctional Complex.
October 2, 2006... On September 26, Bernie Ebbers began serving a 25-year sentence at the Oakdale Correctional Complex in Central Louisiana for his role in the $11-billion accounting fraud. In a ruling earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Barbara Jones...

MEFCU introduces Diebold service.
October 2, 2006... JACKSON -- According to Diebold Incorporated, Mississippi Employees Federal Credit Union (MEFCU) is the first credit union in Mississippi to add Diebold's advanced-function Opteva automated teller machines (ATMs). After seeing a...

Academic superstores bring new look to campuses.(Book Business)
October 2, 2006... Visitors and returning alumni to Mississippi State University and the University of Southern Mississippi may do a double take at the reincarnation of their college bookstores as upscale Barnes & Noble Bookstores. They opened August 1 and are...

Hattiesburg, Starkville welcome new Barnes & Noble campus stores.(Book Business)
October 2, 2006... Community leaders and business owners in the university towns of Hattiesburg and Starkville are welcoming the new on-campus academic superstores, operated by national chain Barnes & Noble. None of those interviewed by the Mississippi Business...

Nonprofits, businesses work together for carousel restoration.
October 2, 2006... GREENVILLE -- The sounds of laughing children playing could be heard for blocks as the colorful, historic carousel rotated with its horses and carriages in Fairyland Park. For decades, families made the now 108-year-old Armitage-Herschell...

Architects find design inspiration from range of sources.(Focus)
October 2, 2006... People have been designing structures since before recorded history, looking to maximize both form and function. There are seemingly an unlimited number of styles and philosophies, and nearly as many designers as there are schools of thought,...

Recent HPC2 expansion raises capabilities, expectations.(Architects & Engineers)(Mississippi State University's Engineering Research Center)
October 2, 2006... STARKVILLE -- There has been a whirlwind of news coming out of Mississippi State University's Engineering Research Center (ERC) as of late--even down to the name of the facility. The center is now known as the High Performance Computing...

Weather pattern's impact on Yazoo clay often delayed.(Focus)
October 2, 2006... The dry weather experienced in Mississippi since Hurricane Katrina soaked the state last summer has had little effect on Yazoo clay, but possible weather pattern shifts could have a more serious impact. "We really haven't had any noticeable...

Professionals meet strenuous continuing ed requirements.(Architects & Engineers)
October 2, 2006... Every year, architects and engineers return to school to keep up with continually changing aspects of their professions. For example, all active AIA (American Institute of Architects) members are required to complete 18 learning unit (LU)...

Preparing for the future.(Architects & Engineers)(Bill Marcuson objectives as president of American Society of Civil Engineers )(Brief article)
October 2, 2006... Bill Marcuson, RE., a retired engineer from Vicksburg who takes over as national president of the ASCE later this month, plans to focus on preparing P.E.s for the future. "One of the biggest threats we have to civil engineering becoming a...

Engineering firms.
October 2, 2006... Names/Year Founded Top Officers Address Phone/FAX Neel-Schaffer Inc., 1983 Hibbett Neel, Gorman Schaffer, 666 North St., Suite 201, Slade Exley, Principals Jackson, MS 39226-2625 ...

Special needs, subtleties of faith keys to designing churches.(Focus)
October 2, 2006... For architects, designing places of worship is not exactly the same as designing other types of structures. There are different issues and considerations, and communication with members of the congregation is a key element. "One of the...

Architectural firms.
October 2, 2006... Architectural Firms Name Address Top Officer/Position E-mail Phone /Fax Number Notable Projects Web site Guild Hardy Architects P.A. W. Taylor Guild...

Firm keeps long-term clients coming back for quality service.(Focus)(company overview)(Company overview)
October 2, 2006... Founded in 1915, the Allen & Hoshall engineering and architecture firm must be doing something right to have endured for 91 years. The firm of 130 professionals is headquartered in Memphis and has had an office in Jackson for 30 years. There...

Heavy mid-September rains help pastures, ponds, landscapes.(Focus)
October 2, 2006... STARKVILLE -- Heavy, mid-September rains may have been too late for row crops, but Mississippi's pastures, ponds and landscapes benefited from anything they got. Widespread showers fell predominantly across north-central portions of the...

Mississippi events business.(Calendar)
October 2, 2006... Thursday, October 5 * The UMC Candlelighters will hold its 26th Annual Art Auction at the Country Club of Jackson, and will feature the 2007 calendar art. Funds raised by the auction and calendar sales will assist Mississippi children and...

Tax myths--debunked!(THE Financial Planning Association)
October 2, 2006... Through the years, I have heard some fairly bright people make various comments about their income taxes that are absolutely incorrect. No doubt, the tax code is complex, and unless one has actually prepared a tax return, it is very...

Financial strategies for busy women investors.(THE Financial Planning Association)
October 2, 2006... Today, women are playing an ever-increasing role in making important financial decisions--whether for themselves or for their families--and the results of several surveys bear this out. For example, women control or influence 80% of all...

Charitable planned giving doubles satisfaction.(THE Financial Planning Association)
October 2, 2006... It's a double satisfaction. Give to a charity and feel good, because you have helped the charity's work. Feel as good--or better--because you have helped yourself to lower taxes. So what is planned giving? The term "planned giving"...

Charitable giving and the 2006 pension reform act.(THE Financial Planning Association)
October 2, 2006... The Pension Protection Act of 2006 grants an important charitable benefit. Before the act, if an IRA owner wished to contribute an IRA to a charity, the person must take a distribution and pay income tax on the distribution. Then after paying...

Five reasons you might need a trust.(THE Financial Planning Association)
October 2, 2006... First off, what is a trust? The simplest definition I can give is that it is a way for a property owner to control his property beyond his own death or incapacity. More technically, it's an agreement involving three parties--a creator, a...

Retirement plan investing--choose wisely.(THE Financial Planning Association)
October 2, 2006... The most frequent question I am asked when conducting a retirement plan educational enrollment meeting for retirement plan participants is: How should I invest my retirement plan account? Today, 401(k) plans often have 15 to 20 investment fund...

Estate and incapacity training: four key questions.(THE Financial Planning Association)
October 2, 2006... This article addresses estate and incapacity planning without considering estate and gift tax issues that may arise during estate planning. Estate and incapacity planning, absent estate and gift tax issues, consists of answering four key...

Elder law: it's not just for old people.(THE Financial Planning Association)
October 2, 2006... Every business owner understands the importance of a business plan--a mapped out course for the success of the enterprise. Every individual must also have a plan that addresses decision-making, health and financial goals, based on the family's...

Exchange traded funds truly a "new revolution" in investing.(THE Financial Planning Association)
October 2, 2006... The term "New Revolution" is frequently used to hype the plethora of financial services products that are introduced each year. What financial institution would not want to lay claim to the latest and greatest investment strategy? Yet most new...

Life insurance: strategies that work with or without estate tax repeal.(THE Financial Planning Association)
October 2, 2006... It seems impossible these days to read a newspaper or a financial journal and not see an article discussing the fate of the estate tax. While we all hoped to have some resolution by now, the debate over the estate tax continues in Congress, and...

Mississippi Development Authority seeking less funding than FY01.
October 9, 2006... Gray Swoope spent the waning days of September trying to convince state lawmakers to give the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) $26 million for fiscal year 2008--$3 million more than FY07, but $3 million less than FY01. "The strategy...

'Common issues, uncommon solutions' focus of program.
October 9, 2006... Women in all professions have an opportunity to network and hear a sought-after national speaker October 17. The topic is "Today's Professional Woman: common issues, uncommon solutions." The speaker will be Pamela Roberts, chair of the...

Self storage business booming as we run out of space.
October 9, 2006... All over the Magnolia State, self storage units of all descriptions are popping up on the landscape like mush- rooms. The permanent mini-storage units and portable units such as PODS (portable on demand storage) are growing increasingly popular...

Gaming and jobs back to Gulfport with Island View.(Island View Casino Resort)
October 9, 2006... GULFPORT -- The beachfront in Gulfport is a little brighter with the opening of the Island View Casino Resort. Only the second business to open on Gulfport's stretch of U.S. 90 since Katrina, the casino brings 800 jobs back and is the port...

SBA's new administrator pays Mississippi a visit.(As I See It)
October 9, 2006... The U.S. Small Business Administration has a new administrator. Steven Preston was confirmed by the U.S. Senate by unanimous consent on June 29th of this year and became the 22nd administrator of the SBA. By way of background, Preston's...

What are we, suburban busybodies?(Musings)
October 9, 2006... The Johnsons were an embarrassment. Often, their grass stood knee-high. The paint on the eaves was peeling. Junk accumulated in their carport. Other neighbors grumbled about the state of their property and wished they would just move away. I...

GodwinGroup.(People to Watch)
October 9, 2006... Jackson-based marketing communications firm GodwinGroup recently hired April Jordan as an account coordinator in its office in Biloxi. A native of Vicksburg, Jordan comes to GodwinGroup from a background of public relations experience and...

Tradition.(People to Watch)
October 9, 2006... Tradition has named Jim Gunkel, CPA, chief financial officer. He will oversee financial operations for Tradition Properties Inc. and related companies associated with the development of the 4,600-acre Tradition master-planned community. Gunkel...

Guaranty Bank and Trust Company.(People to Watch)
October 9, 2006... C. Bailey Meeks has joined Guaranty Bank and Trust Company as president of its Senatobia branch. Meeks graduated in 1997 from the University of Mississippi with a B.A. in political science and earned his MBA in 2000 from Mississippi State...

Hinds Community College.(People to Watch)
October 9, 2006... The Hinds Community College Raymond Campus business administration faculty welcomed two new members with the start of the 2006 fall semester. William Ashley, department chair and economics instructor, most recently taught business...

Mississippi State Hospital.(People to Watch)
October 9, 2006... Sandy Entrekin of Braxton has been named special events director for the Mississippi State Hospital (MSH) at Whitfield A native of D'Lo, she is responsible for coordinating hospital celebrations, leisure activities for patients and residents...

Joseph P, Deason new MDA chief financial officer.(People to Watch)
October 9, 2006... Special to the Mississippi Business Journal JACKSON--Joseph P. Deason has joined the Mississippi Development Authority as chief financial officer. Deason brings extensive financial management experience from a 17-year career at Delphi...

Ryan named 'Travel Agent of the Year'.(People to Watch)
October 9, 2006... Special to the Mississippi Business Journal GULFORT--The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) has awarded its 2006 Travel Agent of the Year award to Rae Anne Ryan, CTC, president and owner of Travel Affiliates in Gulfport. The ASTA...

Dirt moving on $25-million Tunica residential development.(Strictly Business)
October 9, 2006... TUNICA -- Dirt is moving, and the infrastructure improvements have started for Tunica National--A Master Planned Community, the largest residential development in Tunica County to date. Dunn & Harrell Development, LLC, has broken ground on...

Georgia-Pacific selling mills.(Strictly Business)
October 9, 2006... Georgia-Pacific Corp. and Roseburg Forest Products Co. of Roseburg, Ore., have reached an agreement on the sale of six Georgia-Pacific industrial wood products mills to Roseburg. The Mississippi mills included in the sale are located at...

Acquisition for Warrior Energy.(Strictly Business)
October 9, 2006... COLUMBUS--Warrior Energy Services Corporation has entered into a merger agreement to be acquired by Superior Energy Services Inc. of Harvey, La. Under the terms of the agreement, unanimously approved by the Warrior Energy board of...

Entergy cuts rates 18%.(Strictly Business)
October 9, 2006... JACKSON--Entergy Mississippi customers will get another break from high energy costs when an 18% rate reduction takes effect in October. For the third time this year, Entergy is lowering electric rates due to falling prices in the global...

Heidtman joins SeverCorr.(Strictly Business)(Heidtman Steel Products Inc.)(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... LOWNDES COUNTY--Heidtman Steel will build a 240,000-square-foot processing facility near the SeverCorr steel mill that will employ 75 employees and will begin operations in mid-2007. The cost of the construction project was not disclosed. ...

Seasons merger reworked.(Strictly Business)(mergers and acquisitions of Cadence Financial Corporation and Seasons Bancshares Inc.)(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... STARKVILLE--Cadence Financial Corporation has entered into an amended and restated agreement and plan of merger with Seasons Bancshares Inc., the holding company for Seasons Bank, a commercial bank headquartered in Blairsville, Ga. The new...

Coastal signs agreement.(Strictly Business)
October 9, 2006... WIGGINS--Coastal Paper Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cellu Tissue Holdings Inc., has signed a 15-year energy supply agreement with Richmond, Va.-based Intrinergy, to obtain steam and part of its electricity for its facility in Wiggins....

Agencies chosen for TaP.(Strictly Business)
October 9, 2006... STARKVILLE--Economic development agencies in four Tennessee Valley communities have been selected as the first participants in The Valley Targeted and Prepared Community Program (The Valley TaP Program), a new program offered by the Tennessee...

MC breaks records.(Mississippi College)(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... CLINTON--Mississippi College (MC) broke student enrollment records for the 2006-2007 school year as total enrollment peaked at 4,135 students. This represents a 4% gain in total enrollment over the preceding year, the highest figure experienced...

JSU moves up in ranking.(Jackson State University)(Brief article)
October 9, 2006... JACKSON -- Jackson State University (JSU) ranks high among universities nationwide educating African Americans, according to reports from Diverse Issues in Higher Education, Black Enterprise and Washington Monthly. According to Diverse Issues...